N-peters



5 Sheets-Sheet 1. S- D. LOCKE. Harvester Biniier.

No. 238,939. Pa'tented March 15,1 81.

N.FETERS, FHO'TO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D- C.

- sheetssneet 2. S. D. LO'GKE; U Harvester Bi-nder;

, No. 238,939. Patented March 15,1881

A ATTORNEY.

N-PETERS, FAITWLITHOGRFHER, WASHINGTON, D. C,

5 Sheets-Sheet 3.

S. D. LOGKE. HarvesterBinder.

N0. 238,939. Patented March 15,1881.

N-FETERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHEE WASHINGTON,

5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

S. D.'LOOK-E-. Harvester Binder.

No. 238,939. Patented March 15,1881;

NPEIERS, PHOTO-UTHOGRAPMER. WASHINGTON,

5 Sheets- Sheet 5.

$.11 LOGKE. Harvester Binder.

No. 238,939. Patented Mar 'ch 15,1881".

NPETERS. PHOTO-LITNOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. B C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SYLVANUS D. LQCKE, OF HOOSIOK FALLS, NEW YORK.

HARVESTER-BINDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 238,939, dated March15, 1881.

Application filed June 17, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

1 Be it known that I, SYLV-ANUS D. LOCKE, of

Hoosick Falls, in the county of Renssalaer and State of New York, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Harvester- Binders; andI do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, forming. part of this specification, in which- Figure l is atop-plan view of a harvester provided with my improvements. Fig. 2 is anend view of the same. Fig. 3 is a rear view of a portion of the same.Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are views of the looping, tying, and cuttingmechanism. Figs. 7 and 8 are detail views of the rotating holding disksand cutter. Figs. 9, 10, and 11 are views'showing the gearing by whichshaft D is driven from shaft D. Figs. 12 and 13 are detail views of theplates 1) b and Fig. 14 is a view showing the construction of thegear-wheel c and delay-surfaces 0 Similar letters of reference denotethe same parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to that class of automatic grain-binding machinesin which a cord or flexible band is applied around the gavel and securedby a knot; and it consists, first, inan improved combination of devicesfor actuating and controlling the movements of the bandcarrying arm orneedle; secondly, in an improved cord-holdin g mechanism thirdly,in animproved mode of operating the cord holding and tying mechanism;fourthly, in the devices for carrying said last-mentioned mode ofoperation into practice; fifthly, in an inclined or oblique rotaryholding plate or device combined with a rotating tying hook, whereby theinclination of the cord-holder presents the cord properly to the hook;sixthly, in an improved construction of the driving-wheel, to adapt itto the inclined holding device and the rotary hook; seventhly, in themode of operating the reciprocating knife or cord cutter by means of therotation of the tying-head; eighthly, in the combination of a rotatingtying device and a rotating cord holder or clamp with a rotatingdriving-wheel, whereby both the tying device and the cord-clampingdeviceare actuated directly by one and the same driving-wheel; ninthly,in a band-carrying arm having a movement to encompass the gavel with theband, a delay or rest to allow the clamping, tying, and cuttingmechanism to operate, and then a farther forward movement to completethe knot, release it from the tying, mechanism, and discharge the boundgavel from the machine; tenthly, in the combination of the band-carrierwith a peculiar gateway and cord-detent; eleventhly, in the combinationof the looping and tying devices and guides, with mechanism for movingthe gavel therefrom and thereby completing the knot.

In the drawings, A represents the harvester, which, in the form hereshown, contains the usual cutter c, the platform a, an endlessapron-carrier a an elevator, a draft-tongue a, carrying-wheels a a",drivers seat a7, and binding table or platform B, these several parts,with their necessary and usual accessories, being of any approved formand construction.

Upon an offset, a, of the harvester-frame there are attached, by screwsor otherwise, two castings, F F, supporting traveler-rods ff. Anadjustable frame, G, is mounted upon and guided by said rods, thepurpose of which frame is to support the binding-platformfB, theband-carrying arm, and the binding and tying mechanism, and enable themall to be adjusted with relation to the length of the grain or itsposition on the binding table. This frame and its traveler-rods are notclaimed herein, for the reason that they are shown and claimed in otherpending applications filed by me for Letters Patent thereon. By means ofa lever, H, the driver, from his seat, slides the frame G back and forthupon the traveler-rods, and as the binding-table is supported by theframe G and secured. thereto it is adjusted back and forth with saidframe, and thus always maintains the proper position relative to thebinding mechanism. The top of the frame G is stayed by braces G Gextending to a sliding plate or block, G guided by a rail, G on the topof the harvester-frame; but said braces and guide-plate are not claimedherein because claimed in another of my pending applications for LettersPatent.

0 is the main driving-wheel, which actuates the holding and tyingmechanism and the gear-teeth on wheel d band-carrying arm. It iscontinuously rotated in the direction of the arrow, by means ofcircumferential cogs meshing into a sliding feathered pinion or trundle,k, on a shaft, K, which, in turn, is driven by any suitable connectionto the main power shaft or wheel of the harvester. The sliding pinion 7cautomatically adjusts itself on its shaft to the position of the mainwheel 0, as the latter may be, from time to time, moved back and forthby-the lever H. The shaft D of wheel 0 passes horizontally through thelower arm of the frame Gr, and, projecting at the angle or cornerthereof, is provided with a bevelpinion, d. The latter meshes into asimilar pinion, d, on the lower end of a vertical shaft, D, which hasits bearings in the upright part of the frame. At the upper end of thevertical shaft is another bevel-gear wheel, 0?, having only a mutilatedgear-rim, which drives intermittingly a bevel-gear, d on the end of ahorizontal shaft, D having its bearings in the upper arm of the frame.The bevel-gear d is provided with a delay-plate, d, to hold it fromrotating except when actuated by the Openings d are made through thewheel d to permit said delay-plate to go into and out of engagement, andto allow any dirt or dust that may lodge on the wheel d to drop throughand escape, instead of clogging the gears. At the opposite end the shaftD is provided with a crank, d, which actuates the band-carrying arm I.The latter is curved, as shown, and is, at its upper end above the crankd constructed with a curved and slotted extension, I, into or throughthe slot of which extends a headed bolt or pin, 43, from an uprightstandard, g, of frame G, extending above the axis of the crank (1 Thepin t and crank-shaft D are arranged nearly or quite in the samevertical plane, from which arrangement several advantages resultviz.,

first, in that the needle-arm and the standard of the frame areprevented from projecting laterally or horizontally and catching againstfences or other obstacle which might inflict damage; secondly, in thatthe binding-table can, with this arrangement, be constructed narrowerand more compact than heretofore; and, thirdly, in that the verticalarrangement of the operating-crank and controlling guidepin above it,impart to the needle or bandcarrying arm a peculiar sweep or movementnot otherwise attained.

A grain-separator and compressor, J, oscillating on an arm, j, and heldback normally by a spring, j, against a stop, j serves to compact thegavel and to separate the old gavel from the new one about to be formedbut, as this device is described and claimed in anotherpendingapplication filed by me, itis not claimed herein.

The looping and tying mechanism is supported upon a bracket, E, formedupon or affixed to an upright standard, g, projecting up from the lowerpart of the frame G by the side of the wheel 0. This bracket extendsover the top of the wheel and down on the opposite side thereof, asshown, and is provided with two bearings, in which are arranged twosmall shafts, e 6, both projecting at their upper and lower ends fromtheir bearings. The shaft 0 carries the tying-head M at its upper endand a gear-wheel, c, and delay-plate 0, at its lower end. The shaft 6carries the holding and cutting devices at its upper end and agear-wheel, c and two or more suitable delay-surfaces, 0 at its lowerend. The gear-wheel c is driven by a long gear-rim, c, on the side ofwheel (Land the gear-wheel c is driven by gear-teeth 0 arranged on thesame side of said wheel, but preferably farther from itscenter,'suitable recesses being provided for the delay-surfaces. Thebearing of shaft 0 is longer than that of shaft 0, so as to bring thelower end of the looping and tying head nearly 011 a line with the upperend of the holding and cutting device, and between the upper ends of thetwo bearings. The bracket E is IGTESSGd or concaved, as shown at 6 toprevent entanglement of the tying and holding mechanism with grain andfiber from the band, which obstructions are by this means allowed todrop and escape. The bracket E extends backward and upward, as shown at0 to prevent the cord from accidentally entangling with the holdingmechanism.

The holding and cutting devices are constructed as follows:

N is a nearly-circular plate or disk affixed to the shaft 0, so as torotate therewith, and provided with notches n, preferably three innumber, and with angular under hanging flanges it below its edges andimmediately in front of. the notches, the lower points or corners orsaid flanges just clearing the upper edge of the flange e as the holdingmechanism rotates. Above this disk, and separated from it by an annulargroove or recess, is another nearlycircular disk, 0, affixed to the sameshaft and rotating therewith. This disk is provided with correspondingnotches 0, arranged, respectively, in line with the notches n of thelower disk. In each disk the corners of the metal at the rear edges ofthe notches project somewhat farther outward or from the center than thecorners at the front side of the notches, so as to insure catching thecord and carrying it properly around as the holding device rotates.

A spring shoe or presser, w, secured to the bracket E by any suitablemeans-as, for example, by an eye-bolt, wextends to the shaft 0, and ishooked partially around the same in therecess or groove between the twodisks in such manner that the pointed end of the presser shall bepresented forward or toward the front shaft, 0, on the side which istoward the path of the band-carrying arm and immediately behind thenotch that is presented to receive the cord, the object of this shoe orpresser being to clamp and hold the end of the cord.

A cutter, S, is pivoted on the end of the shaft e, or centrally of thedisk 0, and is provided with a projecting knife-edge, s. This cutter isactuated by a spur, t, under the loopto seize and hold the crossstrandof the loop while the loop draws off of the head, thereby drawing thecross-strand through the loop and forming the knot. To enable it to holdwith greater certainty, one of the jaws may be provided with a minutespur or projection, on, which will partially obstruct the egress of thecord, but not sufliciently to prevent the escape thereof when the knothas been fully tied and the gavel is ejected from the machine.

The binding-table is provided with the usual guides B B, slot B and yokeB Two metal plates, b 12 are secured upon it at opposite sides of theslot, as shown. The plate I) has an upwardly-inclined flange, b, whichextends partially over the slot, and it is also provided with ahook-shaped notch or shoulder, b which is designed to arrest and holdthe cord as the needle moves forward and present it properly totheclamping, looping, and tying mechanism beneath. The opposite plate, hasan upwardly-inclined flange, b, which is elongated at b so as to guidethe band over toward the plate I) and insure its engagement in thehook-notch D The edge of the flange If, it will be observed, nearlycovers the point of the hook forming the notch b and to allow theneedleor band-carrying arm to pass, the said arm is constructed with abend or offset at t", which runs under the flange and clears theprojecting point at 11 while the band, running through the end i of thearm underneath, is drawn directly in line with the hook b and itsengagement therewith is assured. The two flanged plates b b serve thefurther purpose of deflecting loose grain, dirt, 8tc., away from theslot and from the mechanism below, and, by nearly closing the slot abovethe said mechanism, they greatly conduce to the protection of the partsfrom the access of grain, straw, and other obstructions.

The cord is supplied and kept at the proper tension by any suitablemeans, the particular device here shown for such purpose being acylindrical cord-holder, R, with spring tensionarm 4, as described andclaimed in another pending application filed by me for Letters Patentthereon.

The operation of this improved machine is as follows: The cord is firstput through the end of the arm I, and its extremity is either held bythe hand or is fastened to a pin or other suitable device on theband-carrying arm at or above the crank-connection. The machine is thenoperated, causing the arm I to descend into the slot B and sweep forwardto a point opposite to the tying mechanism, where it stops temporarily,by reason of the unmeshing of gear-wheels 61 d This move ment of theneedle or arm I brings the cord into one of the notches n 0 of the disksN O, or directly opposite to such notches. The tying-head then revolves,catching around over the cord, forcing it securely into the notches, andlooping it around the head. Just as one revolution of the looper iscompleted the shaft 0 and its disks N O begin to rotate, perform a partof a revolution equal to the distance between the notches, andstop,thereby forcing the cord. under the presser 20, which clamps it inthe recess betweenthe two disks. The movement of the mechanism, asdescribed,

bends the cord at an abrupt angle around and of the disks and near thelooper, so that the strand of cord was held so low that the rotatinglooper-jaws passed over it and it simply looped around the head; butnow, by the rotation of the disks one-third around, or adistance equalto the distance between notches, as described, the strand has beenraised soias to bring it in line with the opening between thelooper-jaws, and the further revolution of the looper causes these jawsto seize said raised strand between them and carry it around with themto the end of their revolution. Immediately before they stop at the endof their revolution the spurt, under the looperhead, strikes the pivotedcutter S and causes it to sever the cord above the clamping-wire w,leaving the lower end of the cord clamped and held by such wire. Thesevered portion of the cord is then pulled out by hand and thrown away;or, it fastened to the arm, the progress of the latter will withdraw it;but as the loop draws off of thejaws it closes on the strand heldbetween them, and thereby forms a secure knot in the waste piece thrownaway. The machine is now put into the grain. The cut grain dumped by theconveyer upon the binding-table piles up against the separating andcompressing arm J. The needle or band carrying arm I passes upward andbackward over the grain and descends into the slot B separating thequantity of grain necessary to form a gavel, and sweepingittorwardagainst the compressor, which yields and lies against the front andupper side of the bundle, when the arm I arrives at the tying mechanismand stops as before. The two strands are now caught in the nextsucceeding notches n 0; the looping-head revolves to loop them arounditself the holding-disks revolve, as before, to clamp and raise thecord; the jaws then come around, seize it, and hold it; the cuttersevers the cord above the disks, and the needle, commencing again tomove forward, pushes onward the bound gavel, thereby drawing the loopfrom the looping and tying head and forming the knot in the band, asabove described, after which the gavel, by the continued movements ofthe needle, is ejected or dropped from the machine. As the bundle passesout from under the compressing arm or rod J the latter quickly springsback, effectually separating the coming grain from the old discharginggavel, in which 'work it is aided by the inclined position andrisingmovement of the cord held by the end of the bandcarrying arm. Asthe latter moves forward and upward the cord carried by it swingsupward'and backward over the inclined face of the retaining-shoulderinto the notch b whereby it is maintained in proper relation to thetying and holding mechanism during their subsequent operation.

The two opposing plates (11, with its flange I) and retaining-shoulder band b with its flange b and 12 taken together form a peculiar gatewaythrough which the arm freely passes outwardly to discharge the bundle,and through which the binding-strand also freely enters to take positionwith reference to the band-securing mechanism, but from which positionthe said gateway, with its rigid walls, does not allow of escape.

It will be seen that by the simple expedient of inclining the rotaryholding-disks or surface to the axis of the looper, l dispense with anyindependent device for raising or guiding the cord, and cause the mererotation of said disks not only to clamp the cord, but to present itfirst in such position as only to loop around the head, and afterward insuch position as to pass between the tying-jaws. This inclination of theholding to the looping and tying devicesis an important feature of myinvention, and I desire to claim it without limitation to the particularconstruction here shown, but as covering all structures where theprinciple is applied in substantially the same waythat is to say, wherethe inclination accomplishes the same result.

In the construction here shown one of the shafts, e, is arrangedradially to the wheel 0, while the other, e, is quite oblique thereto.Either or both of said shafts may be arranged obliquely, however, theinclination of the driving-cogs 011 wheel 0 and on the driven pinionsbeing regulated according to the degree of such obliquity in every case.1 do not, however, confine myself to driving the holding and tyingmechanisms by this particular mechanism.

Inasmuch as the disks are provided with three sets of notches, n 0, andtherefore only move forward one-third of av revolution at a time, thedriving-gear must be arranged accordingly, and the pinion of shaft 6 isfor that purpose divided into three oblique cog-segments, each havingits appropriate delay-surface, as shown. The arrangement of the disks toturn halfway around, or to any other practicable extent, may besubstituted for the one-third turn, if preferred; but the arrangementherein shown and described is recommended. A single disk and cutter,with any form of clamp, will, if inclined to the tyinghead for thepurposes described, be regarded as coming within the limits of myinvention.

While I have shown the band-carrier as the device that not only drawsthe knot tight by moving the gavel away from the position occupied by itduring the looping, but also ejects the bound gavel from the machine, itis evident that an independent ejector might be employed for this latterfunction.

By the term continuously-rotating wheel 0 I do not desire to berestricted to a driving-wheel which at all times is constantly inrotation, inasmuch as the essential feature is only that its rotationshould be continuous during the looping and tying of the cord,and it isin this sense that I employ the expression herein.

I claim as my invention-- 1. The band carrying arm I, hav/Ldg the curvedslotted extension 1 above the crankpin, in combination with the crank dand the pin or bolt '6, arranged vertically, or nearly vertically, abovethe crank-axis, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the continuously-rotating driving-wheel, theshafts that connect it to the needle-crank, the intermittiugly-operatinggear-wheels d d the needle or arm I, having the curved slotted extensionI, and the pin or bolt *5, arranged above the crank-axis, substantiallyas described.

3. The rotating looping and tying head and the rotatingcord-holdingdevice, combined and operating substantial] y as described, whereby therotation of the cord-holding device raises and depresses the cord, sothat the end of the looping-hook will engage with or clear it, asnecessary, for the purpose of forming the knot 41.. A rotating loopingand tying head combined with a rotating cord-holding device arrangedwith its axis of rotation inclined to that of the looping and tyinghead, so as to raise and depress the cord relatively to the latter,substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

5. The combination of the continuously-rotating driving-wheel, the twoshafts e e, inclined to each other, the rotating holding-disks N O, theclamping device, and the rotating looping and tying head, substantiallyas described.

6. The combination of the rotary looping and tying head with theinclined guiding-disks N 0, and with the clamping device, substantiallyas described.

7. The driving-wheel 0, having the two lines or segments of lateralgear-teeth inclined to each other, for the purpose of intermittinglydriving the two oblique shafts, and having the cog-rim by which it iscontinuously driven, sub stantially as described.

8. The driving-wheel 0, having the two lines or segments of lateralgear-teeth inclined to each other, and the delay-surfaces, incombination with the oblique twister and holder shafts and their pinionsand delay-shoes, substantially as described.

9. The combination of a vibrating cord-cutter, arotating looping andtying head, and an inclined rotary holding device, acting to raise anddepress the cord relatively to the loopinghook and carry it intoposition to be severed by the cutter, substantially as described.

10. The combination of the radial-armedrotary holder,the vibratingcutter mounted in position to shear against the arms of said holder asthey are intermittently brought around, and mechanism whereby the cutteris positively actuated in its movement to sever the cord.

' 11. The combination of the radial-armed rotary holder, the vibratingcutter mounted upon the axis of said holder, and the rotary tyinghead,having a pinor projection which strikes said cutter and actuates it tosever the cord against an arm of the holder.

12. The combination of the rotary tyin g-head, the inclined rotaryholding device by which the cord is presented to the action of the tyer,and a vibrating cord-cutter mounted upon the axis of the holder, andactuated by a pin or projection upon the head in the revolution of and aguide or support for retaining the ends of the band in a certainrelation thereto, whereby the final movement of the band-carrier effectsthe completion of the knot and withdraws it from the tyer.

14. The combination of a band-carrier moving in its orbit outward beyondthe band-securing mechanism with a guide or gateway, whereby the strandof cord or wire is directed upon its rearward swing to encircle a freshgavel and stopped in position over the securing mechanism.

15. The guide or gateway consisting of the lower curved and hookedplate, secured to one side of the slot in the grain-table, and the upperoverlapping curved plate, secured to the other side of said slot,substantially as described.

16. The combination of a rotating looping and tying device on which theends of the band are looped, a guide or support for retaining the endsof the band in a certain relation thereto, and mechanism for moving thegavel away therefrom at the moment the strands are laid in position forforming the knot to effect the completion of the knot and withdraw itfrom the tyer.

17. The band-carrying arm I, having the lateral bend to adapt it to passunder the flanged plate b substantially as described.

18. The flanged and notched plate 11, in combination with theband-carryin g arm, substantially as described.

SYLVANUS D. LOOKE.

Witnesses M. CHURCH, W. BLAOKSTOGK.

